Kiehl's - History

History

Founded in 1851 by John Kiehl, Kiehl's began as a homeopathic pharmacy located at 3rd Avenue and 13th Street in the East Village of New York City. In 1921, Irving Morse, a former apprentice and Russian Jewish émigré who had studied pharmacology at Columbia University, purchased the store. Morse was involved in the development of many Kiehl's products that are still popular today, including Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion and Creme de Corps.

Irving's son, Aaron Morse, who also studied pharmacology at Columbia and was a former World War II pilot, took over the store in the 1960s. The younger Morse was credited for propelling Kiehl's from obscurity in the 1950s to international recognition as an upscale natural cosmetics shop in the 1980s. Aaron transitioned the store from the traditional pharmaceuticals his father preferred to develop skin care lines. After he died in 1995, his desk and some of his vintage motorcycles were prominently showcased in the store.

By then, Aaron's daughter, Jami Morse Heidegger, had been operating the business since 1988. Described as "a clever marketer," she relied on word of mouth and extensive free samples and gifts to market Kiehl's products, rather than traditional advertising.